Platform-steps for railway passenger-cars.



R. W. KENDALL. PLATFORM STEPS FOR RAILWAY PASSENGER CARS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 28,1913.

Patented July '7, 1914.

' a SHEETS-SHEET 1 Him!!! R. W. KENDALL. PLATFORM STEPS FOR RAILWAY PASSENGER CARS. APPLIUATION rum) JULY 28,1913.

1,102,342. Patented July 7,1914

1 3 SHEETS--SHEET 2. Ed 9. 4?.

R. W. KENDALL. PLATFORM STEPS FOR RAILWAY PASSENGER. CARS. APPLICATION FILED JULY 28 1913. 1,192,34Q, Patented July 7, 1914;.

3 SHEETS SHBET 3.

UNKTED S .UtTFiEi PATENT OFFICE.

REGINALD W. KENDALL, OF TERRE HAUTE. INDIANA.

PLATFORM-STEPS FOR RAILWAY PASSENGER-CAR$ Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July '7, 191a.

Application filed July 28.1913. Serial No. 781,828.

tion of a railway passenger car embodying my invention, the vestibule-front being omitted and the vestibule-door being shown in open position with the platform-steps in opera-' tive position; F lg. 52 is a fragmentary plan; view of an end portion of said car, parts; thereof being broken away and other parts being in section and the platform-steps being shown also in operative position; Fig. 3 is a side elevational view, partly in seotioinl of the parts shown in Fig. 2; Fig. -i is a transverse sectional view through the steps and platform, the steps being in inverted or inoperative position; Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional view on line 5 5, Fig. i; and Fig. l 6 is an enlarged sectional view on line 6--6,l Fig. 1. i

This invention relates to platform-stepsi for railway passenger-cars and more partic-g ularly to certain new and useful improve-i ments in platform-steps especially designed and adapted for use on vestibuled railway} passenger cars.

Vestibuled railway passenger cars are today generally equipped with fixed pl atform- I steps which operatively project down below the vestibule-door and platform-trap-door. With such construction, it is quite easy for a person to get upon and rest on the stops when the vestibule-door is closed and the car. is in motion -often to his injury.

The principal object of my present invention is to provide a railway car of the kind stated with swingable platform-steps so operatively connected with the vestibuledoors that, when said doors are in open position, the steps will be in operative position, affording ready egress into, or exit. from, the car and its vestibule, and when said doors are swung to vestibule-closing position, the steps will be swingably inverted or thrown to inoperative position, the steps proper, when the vestibule-doors are in vestibulebeing directly beneath the vestilmic-platform, which is completed across the width of the car by plutform-forming members carried thereby, and in such position that it is impossible for a person to get. thereupon, with the result that accidents and personal injuries are c nsequently prcvented.

\Vith the above and other objects in view, my invention resides in certain novel features of construction, arrangement, and combination of parts, all as will hereinafter be described and afterward pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters refer to like parts throughout the several views, 1 indicates the underframing of the car. 2 the end wall, approximately half thereof being shown, the end-door-opcn1ng being indicated atB (see Fig. 1), l the platform under-framing with its end-sill or member 5, and 6 the fixed platform section or flooring. The parts stated may be of any ordinary or up proved construction and further description thereof is, therefore, not deemed necessary here. As is usual, fixed platform section or flooring 6 does not extend the entire width of the car, a space, as at 7, on each side of the car between the end sill of underframing 1 and platform end-member or sill 5 being provided for the platform-steps, as will be well understood. It will also be understood that, while I have herein shown and will describe but one set of my new platformsteps, the usual ger car is provided with four sets thereof, one set at each of its four corners.

S indicates the platform-steps as an entirety, the same comprising any desirable num er of risers 8 and steps or tread-portions 9 (two risers and three steps or treadportions are shown) fixed operatively to gethor in any approved marine and a stepcasing formed of side walls ill--10 suitably fixed to and inclosing said series of risers 8 and steps 9, a base wall or platform lloorforming member 11 suitably fixed to and extendin from one side wall 1() to opposite side we]? 10 beneath lowermost step 5) and having an area sufficient to approximately vestibuled railway passen cover space 7 when steps S are in inverted at their rear edge are preferably cutaway or projecting trunnions (and concaved, as seen in Figs. 1' and 4, rear wall 12 being correspondingly concaved to con form thereto, and at their front edge have preferably the shape, in side elevation, of an ogee or compound curve, as shown.

Suitablyv fixed to step-casing side walls 10- 10 are oppositely-disposed outwardly- 1313 journaled for rotatory movement in bearing or bracket members 1%14' respectively fixed in operative position to, and depending centrally at opposite sides of opening '7 from, the car underframing 1 and platform end-sill or member 5, as seen particularly in Figs. 1, 2, and 45. To provide an anti-friction bearing for trunnions 1313 and at the same time increase or extend the bearing surface therefor in said brackets 1414, each of said brackets, as shown clearly in Figs. 5 and 6, has suitably fixed thereto a widened or thick disk or the like 15 forming one member of a suitable race for anti-friction bearing-balls l6. Suitably fixed to disk 15 is a member 17 completing the race for said balls 16 and the bearing for the step-trunnion.

.Feathered, pinned, or otherwise suitably fixed on the projecting end of trunnion 13 is a bevel gear 18, which meshes with a bevel gear 19 fixed on a short horizontally-disposed shaft 20 rotarily supported in a suitable-bearing or bracket 21 fixed to and depending from car underlraming 1, see particularly Figs. 1 and 4. Fixed on the opposite or other end of short shaft 20, as seen in Figs. 1, 2, and 4, is a second bevel gear 22, which meshes with a segmental bevel gear 23 fixed on a vertically-disposed short shaft 24 journaled for rotatory movement in a suitable hearing or bracket 25 suitably fixed to car underframing 1, as shown particularly in Figs. 3 and 5. Fixed on said shaft 2% above said segmental bevel gear 23 is a spur gear 26 which meshes with a segmental spur gear 27 fixed on a verticallydisposed rock-shaft 28 extending approximately from underframing 1 to the roof or hood members of the vestibule, the lower end of shaft 28 being journaled in a suitable bearing provided in the car undcrframing 1 and the upper end thereof (not shown) being correspondingly journaled in a suitable bearing provided in the vestibule roof or hood members. This rock-shaft 28 extends vertically closely adjacent the outer surface of end wall 2 of the car, and suitably rigidly fixed thereto at one, or its hinge, end, as by means of metallic members or the like 29, is a swingablevestibule-closing door 30, whereby, on door 30 being swung to vestibule opening or closing position, said rockshaft 28 will. be pivotally moved clockwise or counter clockwise in its bearings.

Mounted at its lower end in underiframing 1 and at its upper end in a suitable hearing or bracket 31 fixed to end wall 2 of the car,

is a vertically-disposed rock-shaft 32 provided at its upper end with an operating handle 33. Rock-shaft 32 extends at its lower end slightly below underframing 1 and has fixed thereto midway of its ends a short horizontally-disposed double lever 34: provided at its outer end with a laterallydisposed stud or dog 35, as seen particularly in Figs. 2 and 4. Pivotally mounted in a. suitable hearing or bracket 36 on the platform underframing at the opposite side of space 7, is a second short horizontally-disposed lever 37 provided also at its outer end with a laterally-disposed dog or stud 38 presented toward said stud or dog 35. Having pivotal engagement at one end with lever 37 at a point midway of the ends of said lever 37 is a link 39 having its opposite end pivotally connected to the inner end of said lever 34-. At points diametrically opposite the centers of said trunnions Iii-13, each of said step-casing sidewalls 10l0 is provided with a pair of openings 40-41, (see Figs. 1 and 4:) into and with openings said studs or dogs 35 and 38 are adapted to fit and engage to lock said steps S in operative or inoperative position and therewith door 30 in open or closed position, as will shortly more fully appear.

In operation, presume now that door 30 is in open position reposing flatwise against rear wall 2 of the car and that steps S are down or in. operative position, as shown particularly in Fig. 1. When door 30 is open and. steps 8 are in such lowered or operative position, said studs or dogs 35 and 38 re movably fit into the pair of openings 40 in step-casing side walls 10-10, steps S being thereby releasably locked in down or operative position and door 30 locked in open position. To close door 30 and thereby simultaneously pivotally move or swing steps S to inoperative or inverted position, rock-shaft 32, by means of its handle 33, is first rotarily moved to the right or clockwise, reference being had to Figs. 1 and 2. whereupon the free ends of levers 34 and 37 will be oppositely pivotally moved outwardly and studs or dogs 35 and 38 thereby removed from said openings l0 and thrown out of locking engagement with steps S. Door 30 is now free to be pivotally moved or swung to closed position, and on being swung to closed position, rock-shaft 28 will be correspondingly rocked, whereupon segmental spur-gear 27 will be rotarily moved clockwise or to the right, spur gear 26, shaft 24, and segmen al bevel gear 23 rotarily moved to the left or counter clockwise, bevel gear 22, shaft 20. and bevel gear 1!) rotarily moved to'the right or clockwise, and hovel. gear 18, trunnions 13 and 13', and steps S rotarily moved or swung in the direction of the full arrow, Fig. 2, or into inverted or inoperative position. step-casing base wall which pairs of 11 being thereb brought horizontally flush with fixed plat orm section 6 and completing the vestibule-platform from fixed section 6 to the inner face of door 30. Rockshaft 32 is now rotarily moved to the left or counter clockwise, whereupon the free ends of levers 34 and 37 will be oppositely pivotally moved or swung inwardly and studs or dogs 35 and 38, now entering the pair of openings 41, engaged with the easing of steps S, door 30 being thereby releasably locked in closed position and steps S in inverted or inoperative position. To again open door 30 and lower steps S to operative position, studs or dogs 35 and 38 are first removed from openings 11 by the rocking of shaft 32 as before described in connection with openings 40. Door 30 is now free to swing inwardly, and, on being swung inwardly to open position, rock-shaft 28 will be rocked toward the left or counterclockwise, whereupon segmental spur-gear 27 will also be rotarily moved to the left or counter-clockwise, spur gear 26, shaft 24, and segmental bevel gear 23 rotarily moved to the right or clockwise, bevel gear 22, shaft 20, and bevel gear 19 rotarily moved to the left or counter-clockwise, and bevel gear 18, trunnions 1313, and steps S rotarily moved or swung in the direction of the dotted arrow, forming substantially,

when in such position, a direct continuation of fixed platform section 6 and affording,

means of ready ingress into, or exit from, the

car. Rock-shaft 32 is now again rocked or rotarily moved toward the left or counter clockwise and said studs 35 and 38, through L said levers 34 and 37 and link 39, entering: said openings 40, again engaged with the casing of steps S, door 30 being therebyv again releasably locked in open position and steps S in operative position.

It might be here stated that the ratio of the gearing between steps S and door 30 is two to one, that is to say, segmental bevel gear 23 has a diameter twice the size of diameter of bevel gear 22, bevel-gears 19 and 18 being of the same diameter as bevel gear 22, so that steps S will be swung through an arc of 180 while door 30 is given a quarter turn or swung through an arc of 90. Meshing gears 26 and 27, while the same in diameter, may be of any suitable diameter. Should said studs or dogs 35 and 38 become accidentally or otherwise disengaged from openings 40 when door 30 is open and steps S down, it will be seen particularly in Fig. 1 that fingers or members 42 suitably transversely fixed, as by means of pins 43, in each of said trunnions 13 and 13' will bear fiatwisc upon enlargemerits or shoulders 44 formed or provided on the outer faces of bearing-disks 15, as shown, and thereby prevent steps S pivot ally moving or swinging downwardly, to the consequent injury of any person who may be going into or out of the car thereupon.

A car may be readily and easily equipped with my new platform-steps, and it will be seen that, when the vestibule door 30 is in closed position, the steps S are in inoperative position beneath platform-forming section 11 and in such position that no person can get thereupon, casin wall 11 being substantially flush with, an forming an extension of, fixed car platform (5.

It is to be understood that changes in the construction, arrangement, and combination of the several parts of my new platform steps may be made and substituted for those herein shown and described without depart ing from the nature and principle of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. The combination with a railway-passengcr-car, including its platform-underframing and fixed platform section, of a fixedly connected series of platform-steps pivotally mounted on said our and swingable relatively to said fixed platform section from operative to inverted or inoperative position and from inverted or inoperative position to operative position, said stops, when in operative position, forming a direct continuation of said fixed platform section and the tread-portions of said steps being substantially parallel with said fixed platform section when said steps are in 100 either operative or inoperative position, substantially as described.

2. The combination with a railway-passenger-car, including its platform-underframing and fixed platform section, of a 105 fixedly connected series of platform-steps pivotally mounted on said car, and means adapted to pi'votally swing said steps relatively to said fixed platform section from operative to inverted orinopcrative position 110 and from inverted or inoperative position to operative position, said steps, when in operative position, forming a direct continuation of said fixed platform section and the tread-portions of said steps being substantially parallel with said fixed platform section when said steps are in either operative or inoperative position, substantially as described.

3. The ombination with a railway-passcnger-car, including its platform-underframing and fixed platform section, of a fixedly connected series of platform-steps pivotally mounted on said car in proper position relatively to said fixed platform section, a vestibule-door swingable on said car, and mechanism between said door and steps whereby, on said door being swung from closed to open position, said steps will be pivotally moved to operative position 1 and, on said door being swung from open to closed position, said steps will be inverted or pivotally moved to inoperative position, the tread-portions of said steps being substantially parallel with said fixed platform section when said steps are in either operative or inoperative position, substantially as described.

The combination with senger-car, including its a re ilway-pasplatform-linden framing' and fixed platform section, of a fixedly connected series of platform-steps pivotally mounted on said car in proper position relativelv to said fixed platform section, a verticallydisposed rock shaft on said car, a vestibule-door fixed to and pivotally movable with said shaft, and gearing between said shaft and said steps whereby, on said door being swung from closed to open position, said steps will be pivotally moved to operative position and, on said door being swung from open to closed position, said steps will be inverted or pivot-ally moved to inoperative position, the tread-portions of said steps being substantially parallel with said fixed platform section when said. steps are in either operative or inoperative position, substantially as described.

5. The combination with a railway-passenger-car, including its platform-underframing and fixed. platform section, of a fixedly connected series of platform-steps pivotally mounted on said our in proper position relatively to said fixed platform section, a vertically-disposed rock shaft on said car adjacent the end. wall thereof, a vestibule-door fixed to and pivotally movable with said shaft, said door being swingable throu h an arc of 90, and gearingbetween said. shaft and said steps having a ratio of one to two whereby, on said door being swung from closed to open position, said steps will be pivotally swung through an arc of 180 to operative position and, on said door being swung from open to closed position, said steps will be inverted or pivotally moved through an arc of 180 to inoperative position, substantially as described.

6. The combination with a railway-passengencar, including its platform-underframing and fixed platform section, of a fixedlyronnectcd series of platform-steps pivotally mounted on said our in proper position relatively to said fixed platform section, a vertically-disposed rock shaft on said. car adjacent the end Wall thereof, a vestibule-door fixed to and pivotally movable with said shaft, said door being swingable through an arc of 90, and gearing between said shaft and said steps whereby, on said door being swung from closed to open position, said steps will be pivotally swung through an arc of 180 to operative position and, on said door being" swung from open to closed position,

said steps will be inverted or pivotally moved through an arc of 180 to inoperative position, said gearing. including a segmental spur gear fixed on said shaft, a spur gear journaled on said car and meshing with said segmental spur gear, a segmental bevel gear fixed to said spur gear, a bevel gear journaled on said car and meshing with, and having a diameter half the diameter of, said segmental bevel gear, a second bevel gear fixed to, and having the same diameter as, said first bevel gear, and a third bevel gear fixed to said steps and meshing with, and having the same diameter as, said second bevel gear, substantially as described.

7. The combination with a railway-passenger-car, including its platform-underframing and fixed platform section, of a fixedly connected series of platfornrsteps pivotally mounted on said car in proper position relatively to said fixed platform section, a vestibule-door swingable on said car through an arc of 90, mechanism between said door and steps whereby, on said door being swung from closed to open position, said steps will bepivotally moved to operative position and, on said door being swung from open to closed position, said steps will beinverted or pivotally moved through an arc of 180 to inoperative position, and a platform floor-forming section carried by said steps and adapted, when said steps are in inverted or inoperative position, to overlie said steps and be horizontally flush with, and forming an extension of, said fixed platform section, substantially as described.

8. The combination with a railway-passenger-car, including its platform-underframing and fixed platform section, of a fixedly connected series of platform-steps pivotally mounted on said car in proper position relatively to said fixed platform section, a vestibule-door swingable on said cal-through an arc of 90, mechanism between said door and steps whereby, on said door being swung from closed to open position, said steps will be pivotally moved to operative position and, on said door being swung from open to closed position, said steps will be inverted or pivotally moved through an arc of 180 to inoperative position, and means on said car adapted to engage with said steps to relcasably lock the same in operative or inoperative position and said door in open or closed substantially as described.

9. The combination with a railway-passenger-car, including its platform-underframing and fixed platform section, of a fixedly connected series of platform-steps pivotally mounted on said ear in proper position relatively to said fixed platform section, a vestibule-door swingable on said car, mechanism between said door and steps whereby, on said door being swung from closed to position,

open position, said steps will. be pivotally moved to operative position and, on said door being swung from open to closed position, said steps will be inverted or pivotally moved to inoperative position, casing walls fixed to said steps, and means on said car adapted to removably engage with said casing walls to releasably lock said steps in 0perative or inoperative position and said door in open or closed position, substantially as described.

10. The combination with a railway-passenger-car, including its platform-underframing and fixed platform section. of a fixedly connected series of platfomn-steps pivotally mounted on said car in proper position relatively to said fixed platform section, a vestibule-door swingable on said car, mechanism between said door and steps whereby, on said door being swung from closed to open position, said steps will be pivotally moved to operative position and, on said door being swung from open to closed position. said steps will be inverted or pivotally moved to inoperative position, casing side walls fixed to said steps, each of said walls being provided with a pair of openings, and means on said car adapted to releasably lock said steps in operative or inoperative posit-ion and said door in open or closed position, said means including a pair of horizontally-disposed levers provided with lateral extensions adapted to fit in said openings and thereby engage with the side walls of said casing, substantially as described.

11. The combination with arailway-pas senger-car, including its platform-underframing and fixed platform section, of a fixedly connected series of platform-steps pivotally mounted on said car in proper position relatively to said fixed platform section, a. vestibule-door swingable on said car, mechanism between said door and steps whereby, on said door being swung from closed to open position, said steps will be pivotally moved to operative position and, on said door being swung from open to closed position, said steps will be inverted or pivotally moved to inoperative position, a casing fixed to and inclosing said steps, said casing ineluding a pair of side walls each provided with a pair of openings, and means on said car adapted to releasably lock said steps in operative or inoperative position and said door in open or closed position said means comprising a vertically-disposed rock shaft, a horizontally-disposed double lever fixed on said shaft, a second horizontally-disposed 1e ver pivoted at one end on said car, a link having pivotal connection at its ends with said levers, and extensions on said levers adapted to fit in said openings and thereby engage with the side walls of said casing, substantially as described.

12. The combination with a railway-passenger- 111', including its platform-underframing, of aseries of platform steps, trunnions on said steps, journal bearings on said car for said trunnions, and means on said car including a rotarily movable shaft for rotarily moving said trunnions to swing said steps through an arc 180 from operative to inoperative, or from inoperative to operative, position, substantially as described.

13. The combination with a 'ailway-passenger-car, including its platform-underframing, of a series of platform-steps, trunnions on said teps, journal bearings on said car for said trunnions, means on Said car for rotarily moving said trunnions to swing said steps from operative to inoperative, or from ino iierative to operative, position, and cotipe'ating means between said trunnions and bearings adapted to prevent said steps, when in operative position. pivotally moving therebeyond, substantially as described.

14. The combination with a railway-passenger-car, including its platform-underframing, of a series of platform-steps, trunnions on said steps, journal bearings on said car for said trunnions, means on said car for rotarily moving said trunnions to swing said steps from operative to inoperative, or from inoperative to operative position, enlargements on said bearings, and members carried by said trunnions adapted to engage with said enlargements, when said steps are in operative position, to prevent said steps pivotally moving beyond such position, substantially as described.

15. The combination with a railway pas senger car, including its platform underframing and fixed platform section, of a fixedly connected series oi platform steps pivotally mounted on said car in proper position relatively to said fixed platform section, means adapted to pivotally move said steps through an arc of 180 from operative to inverted or inoperative position and from inverted orinoperative position to operative position, and means adapted to engage with said steps to releasably lock the same in operative or inoperative position, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

REGINALD W. KENDALL.

Witnesses:

PAUL Zonnznn, MINNIE M. PAT'I. 

